The case for open research in entomology: reducing harm, refining reproducibility and advancing insect science

Abstract

Open research is an increasingly developed and crucial framework for the advancement of science and has seen successful adoption across a broad range of disciplines. Entomology has, however, been slow to adopt these practices compared to many adjacent fields despite ethical and practical imperatives to do so. The grand challenges facing entomology in the 21st century require synthesis of evidence at global scales, necessitating open sharing of data and research at a pace and scale incompatible with the slow adoption of open research practices. Open science also plays a vital role in fostering trust in research and maximising use of research outputs, which is ethically crucial for reducing harms to insects. We outline these imperatives and how open research practices can enhance entomological research across a range of contexts. We also highlight the holistic nature of open science across the full research lifecycle through several specific examples of open research practices that can be adopted easily by individual entomologists. We do, however, argue that the responsibility of promoting, integrating and encouraging open research is most crucially held by publishers, including scholarly societies, which have leveraged widespread adoption in adjacent fields. Entomology must advance quickly to become a leading discipline in the open research transition.